Typographical composing machine



May 23, 1 c H. GRIFFITH TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINE Filed 001:. 2, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet l g4 IINYENTOR j w Filed Oct. 2 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTOR Y5 May 23, 1933. c. GRIFFITH 1,910,535

TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR May 23, 1933. c. H. GRIFFITH 1,910,535

TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 X izligiTOR AT ORN S May 23, 1933. c. H. GRIFFITH 1,910,535

/ TYPOGRAPHICAL COMPOSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 i I VENTOR BY 4% Patented May 23, I933 -FFICE OI-IAUNCEY GRIFFITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO MERGENTHALER LINC- TYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW' YORK TYPOGRAPHICAL GOMPOSING MACHINE Application filed October 2, 1930. Serial N0. 485,856.

This invention relates to typographical composing machines, such as linotype machines of the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patent to O. Mergenthaler, No. 436,532, wherein circulating matrices are released from a magazine by a keyboa-rd mechanism in the order in which their characters are to appear in print, and then composed in line in an assembling elevator, the composed line transferred to the face of a mold, the mold filled with molten metal to form a slug or linotype against the matrices which produce the type characters thereon, and the matrices thereafter returned to the magazine from which they started.

In these machines, the matrices most commonly employed are of the two letter Variety, that is to say, matrices bearing on their castingedges two superposed characters of the same body size but of different faces (usually one roman and the other italic), and means are provided whereby the matrices passing to the line may be composed at two different levels in order to bring the upper or lower characters into casting position, as desired.

In the standard commercial machines, the assembling elevator is equipped with what is known as a duplex rail, which comprises a relatively fixed long section, and a movable short section, the latter section being arranged at the receiving end of the elevator and being adjustable into and out of the path of the incoming matrices, so as to arrest them at the upper level or allow them to pass to the lower level, and the former rail section serving to maintain the arrested matrices at their upper level as the composition of the line progresses. In this way, lines made up wholly of roman or italic characters, or of both, maybe composed by the manipulation of the short rail section prior to or during composition. Since in the composition of printed matter, the italic characters are used with little frequency as compared with the roman characters, the manual adjustment of the rail section has been found in practice to be adequate and has heretofore been resorted to in the assemblage of matrices of the kind referred to.

As a result of recent developments, however, the commercial machines are being employed for foreign languages, such as Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, and the like, in which the alphabets comprise a very much larger number of characters than the English alphabet, the Hebrew alphabet, for instance, comprising some e80 different characters. In providing for such great number of characters, two letter matrices are employed as before, but each matrix bears two different characters or two characters of different value, rather than the same character in different faces as ordinarily. Hence, the more frequent occurrence of the different characters appearing on the two letter matrices calls for a more frequent manipulation of the matrix level controlling rail section than would be practicable for the operator to take care of by hand control. Thus, in the composition of a line, it will generally be necessary to change the level of the matrices many times in selecting the different characters to appear in print, it even being possible that each succeeding character will necessitate a change of level.

The present invention overcomes these and other objections and provides improved means whereby the operation of the key levers which release the matrices from the magazine will automatically control the proper position of the short assembler rail section, the said key levers having associated with them for this purpose, means adapted ,to be selectively set to predetermine the position of the rail section, and the operation of the key levers under the different set conditions of said means adjusting the rail section, either to an operative position so as to arrest the matrices at the upper level, or to an inoperative position so as to permit the matrices to pass to the lower level.

As the assembling mechanism is ordinarily constructed, when matrices are composed at the upper level one or more of such matrices remain upon the short assembler rail section, and. consequently in composing the next succeeding matrices at the lower level, it is the common practice to delay the adjustment of the rail section to its inactive position until the said succeeding matrices, un-

der the influence of the usual star wheel which feeds the matrices into the assembler, have advanced far enough to push the matrices standing on the short rail section onto the longer section of the duplex rail. In the present instance, however, and due to the quickly recurring changes in the position of the short rail section incident to its automatic operation by the matrix releasing finger keys, it is proposed to make this rail section substantially shorter than the standard rail section, and the star wheel is also changed in form so that it will push the individual matrices off said rail section and onto the longer rail section immediately they enter the elevator. In this way, the short rail section will always be clear of matrices and may therefore be adjusted to its inactive position at any time without danger of having the matrices composed at the upper level drop to the lower level.

These and other phases of the invention will be described in detail in the specification to follow, and the novel features thereof will he set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention has been shown merely in preferred form and by way of example, but obviously many changes and variations may he made therein and in its mode of operation, which will still be comprised within its scope. It is, therefore, to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a linotype machine, having my invention emhodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the keyboard mechanism and adjacent parts, constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the finger keys and the parts operated thereby in controlling the operation of the short assembler rail section;

Fig. i is a plan view of a portion of the keyboard mechanism and parts actuated thereby in operating the short assembler rail section;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the cooperative connection of the key levers with. the matrlx releasing mechanism and with the mechanism for controlling the operation of the short assembler rail section;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, of one of the finger keys and the parts operated thereby, said finger key being set to cause the automatic retraction of the short assembler rail section;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the key lever in depressed. position;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing the finger key set to cause the automatic projection of the short assembler rail section;

F ig. 10 is a sectional elevation of the entrance end of the assembler, showing the improved form of star wheel which acts to advance the matrices thereinto, and its short rail section projected to arrest the matrices at the upper level Fig. 11 is a similar view, in which the short rail section is retracted to inoperative position to allow the matrices to pass to the lower level;

Fig. 12 is a sectional plan view, on an enlarged scale, showing the matrix deflector and its operative connection with the short assembler rail section; and

Fig. 13 is a vertical section taken on the line 1318 of Fig. 11.

The two-letter matrices X are stored in the inclined channeled magazine 1 (Fig. 1) and are released therefrom, one at a time, under the control of escapements (not shown) actuated bya series of vertical reciprocating reed from a keyboard mechanism Y. This keyboard mechanism comprises, as usual, finger keys 3 carried by key levers ft connected to vertical slides 5 arranged below the reeds 2 and with their upper ends in position to control, through intervening trip dogs 6, cam yokes 7 (of which there are two banks) pivoted at their outer ends and disposed horizontally above a pair of rubber-covered rolls 8 driven constantly by suitable power means. The inner or free ends of the yokes 7 are located directly beneath the reeds 2, so that when a slide 5 is raised by the depression of its corresponding key lever, the cam yoke associated therewith will be released by the intervening trip dog 6 and its rotary cam will be allowed to engage the periphery of the underlying power driven roll 8. This en gagement will cause the rotation of the cam and the upward rocking of the yoke, which latter is adapted in turn to engage the reed above and lift it to actuate a corresponding escapement. These power operated devices are essentially the same as those employed in the commercial linotype machines, and a more detailed description thereof is therefore unnecessary.

WVhen released from their storage magazine in the manner just described, the matrices pass downwardly through the usual assembler entrance 9 (Fig. 1) onto a constantly driven inclined belt 10, which latter delivers them one after another, in the order of their release, to an assembling elevator or assembler 11, wherein they are composed in line, under the influence of a so-called star wheel 12, against an upstanding finger 13 of aspringcontrolled resistant slide 14. After composition of a line, the assembling elevator 11 is raised to position the line between the depending fingers 15 of a transfer slide 16, which thereupon forwards the line to the casting mechanism (notnecessary herein to illustrate), all as well understood in this art.

The assembling elevator 11 is provided as usual with a pair of fixed horizontal supporting rails 17 (Fig. 2), upon which the matrices are assembled at the lower level to locate their upper characters in casting position, and with a so-called duplex rail 18 arranged above the front rail 17, and upon which the matrices may be assembled at the upper level to bring their lower characters in casting position. The duplex rail 18,0011- sists of a relatively short movable section 19, arranged at the receiving end of the elevator, and a longer section 20 (which may be fixed if desired) forming a continuation of the shorter section and serving to maintain the matrices at the upper level as they are pushed off the short section (see Figs. 1, and 11). The short rail section is slidingly mounted in. the front of the elevator 11 and is adjustable back and forth into and out of the path of the descending matrices X, being adapted in its rear or active position to arrest the matrices at the upper level, and in its forward or inactive position to allow suflicient space between the star wheel and the adjacent end of the long rail section for the free passage of the matrices to the lower rails 17.

The present invention is concerned main ly with the automatic operation of the short assembler rail section 19 by the finger keys of the keyboard, involving preferably the use of power means for operating the rail section, and controlling means therefor, actuated by the finger keys as they are depressed to release the matrices from the magazine.

In carrying out the invention, there is pro- I vided a rotary rubber-covered roll 21 (Figs.

extending outwardly from one of the constantly rotating power driven rolls 8 before alluded to; whereby the roll 21 is constantly rotated from the roll 8. Of course, any other suitable means could be employed for rotating the roll 21.

The roll 21 is arranged beneath two cam yokes and 31, disposed side by side and pivoted at their rear ends to the supporting bracket 24. As shown, the yokes 30 and 31 are provided with rotary cams 32 which are adapted to be operated by the underlying roll 21 when the yok-es are allowed to fall to engage the cams with the roll. Normally, the yokes 30 and 31 are held in raised position, with the cams 32 out of engagement with the roll 21, by means of trip dogs 33 pivoted between their ends to the bracket 24 and connected to the upper ends of two vertically reciprocating bars 34 and 35 suitably guided in said bracket 24. These bars 34 and 35 are formed at their lower ends with. oppositely inclined cam surfaces 35*, the purpose of which will presently appear, and the bars are adapted to be moved upwardly to trip the dogs, by the operation of the finger keys f the keyboard, as will also be described more in detail later on.

' However, it may here be stated that when one of the trip dogs is actuated by its reciprocating bar, the associated cam yoke, being no longer supported in its upper position, will drop by gravity, thereby engaging its cam with the rotary roll beneath, and rotary motion will be imparted to the engaged cam, which, due to its contour, will swing the cam yoke upwardly at its front end, and this action will, through the medium of certain connections to the short assembler rail section 19, move that rail section either outwardly or inwardly, according to which of the two cam yokes 30 or 31 is raised. WVhen the finger of the operator is removed from the linger key, the weight of the parts connected with the trip dog will move the latter back to its normal position, where it will arrest the cam yoke before it moves back far enough to engage its cam with the roll 1, and the yoke being thus arrested, the cam will be held disengaged from the rotary roll beneath and the parts will come to rest, leaving the rail section in the position to which it was moved by the upward movement of the cam yoke. This operation of the cam yokes 30 and 31 is similar in all respects to the action of the cam yokes 7 of the main keyboard, and is so well known to those familiar with the art, that any further description would be superfluous.

The actuation of the vertical reciproca ing bars 34 and 35 by the linger keys of the keyboard is effected by means of an upright rocking lever 36 pivoted at its lower end, as at 37, to the keyboard frame and adapted to be swung forwardly and backwardly, the upper end of the lever being rovided with pins 38 projecting laterally therefrom in opposite directions and arranged in position to engage the inclined cam surfaces 35 on the lower ends of the reciprocating bars 34 and 35, respectively. The arrangement is such that, when the lever 36 is swung rearwardly, one of the pins 38 will engage the cam face 35 on the bar 35 and move the latter upwardly; whereas, when the lever is swung forwardly, the other 1i 38 will engage the cam face 35 on the bar 34 and move it upwardly.

These rocking movements of the lever 36 are effected by the finger keys of the keyboard and are utilized to move the rail section 19 either forwardly or backwardly, according to the level at which the matrix released by the particular finger key operated is to be composed. Since each matrix carries two different characters (an upper one and a lower one, as before mentioned), and as the one matrix with the two different characters is released by one an l the same finger key, the latter is so connected to its key lever that i may be selectively set in two different positions, according to which of the two characters on the matrix is to be assembled in the casting position; and. means are pro vided which, on the depression of the finger key, after being set in the desired selected position, will move the lever 36 forwardly or backwardly, according to which. of the two positions the finger key occupies on the key lever.

in effecting this operation of the parts, the finger key 3 of each key lever 4 is provided with two index characters 39 and 40, representing the two different characters on the matrix released by said finger key. At its underside, the finger key is formed with a vertical slot to receive the forward end of its key lever 4, and the finger key is pivoted to the key lever by means of a transversely extending pivot pin 41, as best shown in Figs. 3, 7, 8 and 9. The upper edge of the key lever, and the upper wall of the slot in the finger key, are formed with oppositely inclined surfaces, adapted to solidly support the linger key in its two different inclined selected positions, as shown for instance in Figs. 7 and 9, respectively.

It is pointed out, in passing, that this mo vable mounting of the finger keys on the key levers is important, since tl e operator is enabled to set the short assembler rail section in its proper position by merely pressing down on one or the other of the index characters 39 or 40 regardless of the position the finger keys occupy on their key levers at the time In other words, the depression of a finger key acts first to set it in the desired position on the key lever and then to operate the key lever, all as one continued operation.

To bring about the action described, horizontal parallel rock shafts 42 are journaled side by side in the base of the keyboard frame, one shaf t beneath and in line with each transverse row of finger keys, there being in the present instance six of these rock shafts to correspond to the six transverse rows of finger keys shown. Each rock shaft is provided at points in its length, corresponding to the location of the individual finger keys of the row above, with two horizontal arms 43 extending in opposite directions therefrom (front and back), and with vertical dogs 44, 44 pivoted at their lower ends to the outer ends of said arms and having their upper ends arranged beneath the finger keys 3 at opposite sides (front and back) of the pivots 41 of said keys, whereby on the de pression of a key lever, its finger key will engage one or the other of the two vertical dogs associated therewith, according to the position which the finger key occupies on its lever, and thereby turn the associated rock shaft (if need be) in one direction or the other.

The turning motions of the rock shafts 42, under the influence of the selectively set finger keys, are transmitted to the aforementioned rocking lever 36 (in order to trip the cam yokes 30 and 31) by means of a f0re and-aft universal bar 45 located at the outer side of the keyboard frame and pivoted, as at 46, to the upper ends of crank arms 47 rising from the ends of the respective rock shafts 42. The crank arm 47 of the rearmost rock shaft has a vertical extension 43, which is pivotally connected at its upper end by a bent horizontal link 49 to the rocking lever 36 at or near its center. When the rock shafts 42 are turned from their neutral position as shown in Fig. 7 to either of the two positions shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the parts are returned to their normal position by means of coiled tension spring 50 (see Fi 2) connected to the upper end of the extension 48 and pulling thereon from a fixed point above on the keyboard frame.

From the construction and arrangement of the parts just described, it will not be seen that in the depression of any one of the finger keys, in whatever position it may be selectively set as determined by the pressure of the finger of the operator on one or the other of the two index characters 39 and 40, the associated rock shaft 42 will be turned in one direction or the other by the engagement of the depressed finger key with one or the other of the two underlying dogs 44, and the turning motion of the rock shaft will be transmitted by the universal bar 45 to the rocking lever 36 to trip one or the other of the cam yokes 30 and 31 and thereby, through the connections next to be described, to set the short assembler rail section 19 in operative or inoperative position, according to which of the two index characters is touched by the operator in the actuation of the key lever.

The motions of the two cam yokes 30 and 31 are transmitted to the short assembler rail section 19, by means of two vertical slides 51 and 52 mounted. in and carried by the assembling elevator 11 (see Figs. 1 and 2). The lower ends of the two slides are disposed above and in line with the respective cam yokes, so that on the rise of the cam yokes, the said slides will be correspondingly raised, the downward movement of the slides being limited by heads 51 thereon engaging the upper ends of the guides in which they move. The upper ends of the slide heads 51 are held in engagement with depending transversely alined fingers 58 of two rocking plates 54 and 55 pivoted in the assembling elevator on parallel transversely extending axes 56. The plates 54 and 55 extend toward each other or in opposite directions and are provided with inclined cam surfaces 54 which in the normal position of the plates intersect each other, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Two coiled springs 57, connected respectively to the upper ends of the plates 54, 55 and to the frame of the assembling elevator, pull on the plates in opposite directions and act to maintain them yieldingly in the normal position shown.

The two intersecting cam surfaces 54' of the plates 54 and 55 are adapted to engage pins 58, 58 projecting outwardly in opposite directions from the lower end of an upright lever 59 pivoted between its ends, as at 60, to the elevator frame. The upper end of the lever 59 is engaged loosely in an aperture 61 in the forward end of one arm 62 of a horizontal U-shaped slide plate 62, which arm is connected at its rear end with therail section 19. Consequently, when the lever 59 is rocked in one direction, it will project the rail section 19 to an operative position, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 12 and by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, and when rocked in the opposite direction, it will retract the rail section to an inoperative position, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 2 and by the dotted lines in Fig. 12.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that, on the rise of the cam yoke or 81, say the latter, under the influence of a finger key of the keyboard in the release of a selected matrix, the corresponding slide 52 will be moved upwardly and will lift the overlying rocking plate 55, whose cam sur face 54, by engaging the pin 58 on the lever 59, will rock said lever on its axis 60, moving its lower end forwardly and its upper end rearwardly and thereby projecting the rail section 19 to operative position, where it will remain until the'parts are operated in the opposite direction by the subsequent actuation of the cam yoke 30.

It will be noted that the various parts just described, including the slides 51 and 52, the rocking pla es 54 and 55, and the upright lever 59, are all mounted on'and carried by the assembling elevator 11 and are entirely disconnected from the cam yokes 30 and 31, so that while said elevator may rise in carrying the composed line to the transfer slide 16, it will in descending to its normal composing position locate the lower ends of the slides 51 and 52 above the cam yokes in position to be actuated thereby when the finger keys are depressed in composing the next line of matrices.

The vertical dogs 44 on the rock shafts 42, the two vertical reciprocating bars 34 and 35, the two cam yokes 30 and 31, the two slides 51 and 52, and the two rocking plates 54 and 55, constitute in effect two trains of actuating connections for the short assembler rail section 19, one of said trains being operated to set the rail section in Operative position under one adjustment of the finger keys, and the other train being operated to set the rail section in inoperative position under the other adjustment of the finger keys. In either case, after one train has acted to move the rail section to one position the rail section will remain in that position until moved to its other position by the operation of the other train of actuating connections.

The operation of the parts so far described is as follows: The rubber-covered roll 21 being constantly rotated from the keyboard roll 8, the operator manipulates the finger keys 3 of the keyboard to compose the desired matrices in line in the assembler with either of the two characters thereon in casting position, and in doing this the finger keys are pressed upon by the operator in either of the spaces where the two index characters 39 and appear, depending upon which characteron the matrix released by that finger key is to be selected. The pressure of the operators finger on the rear index character 89 (see Figs. 3, 8 and 9) will tip the finger key on its key lever 4 to its rearwardly inclined position as shown in Fig. 9; whereas the pressure of the finger of the operator on the front index character 40 will tip the finger key to the forwardly inclined position as shown in Fig. 8, and the continued pressure of the finger will, in either case (and as one continued opera tion), act through one or the other train of connections described to set the rail section 19 in active or inactive position, and thereby permit the released matrix to be composed in line at the upper or lower level, as required.

The sequence of operations of the parts following the depression of one of the finger keys will be entirely clear by reference to Fig. 5. Assuming that the lower character on the matrix released by the finger key shown is to be set in casting position, it will be necessary to assemble the matrix at the higher level, and therefore it will be necessary to project the rail section 19 into the assembler to set it in operative position. In effecting this operation of the parts, the finger key is pressed upon by the operator in the space where the rear index character 39 is located, the first result of which action will be to tip the finger key to its rearwardly inclined position, and by continuing the pressure on the finger key, it will be depressed while in its rearwardly inclined position and the attached key lever will be depressed with it, there thus being a single downward movement of the operators finger. As the finger key moves down, it will engage the upper end of the rear vertical dog ll, and by forcing said dog downwardly as shown in Fig. 9, the associated rock shaft 42 will be turned counterclockwise and the universal bar i thereby thrust rearwardly. This rearward movement of the universal 7 bar will swing the lever 36 rearwardly and cause it, through the engagement of the pin 38 and cam surface 35, to raise the bar 35 and trip the cam yoke 31, which is thereupon rocked upwardly by the engagement of its rotary cam 32 with the power driven roll 21. This upward rocking of the cam yoke 31 will move slide 52 upwardly and swing the rock ing plate 55 forwardly and upwardly therewith, whereby the cam surface as by engaging the pin 58 on the lever 59, will move that lever rearwardly at its upper end and project the rail section 19 to its operative position so as to arrest the matrix released by the actuation or the finger key at the upper level and thereby locate the lower character on the matrix in casting position.

On the removal of the pressure of the operators finger on the finger key, the key lever 4 will move upwardly to its former or normal position, and the rock shaft 42 will be returned by the spring to its normal neutral position with the two dogs at in the position shown in Fig. 7, thereby allowing the bar 35 to drop back to its normal position. In

this movement of the bar 35, the trigger 33 operated thereby will be moved back to arrest the cam yoke 31, and the slide 52 will be lowered to its former position by the return of rocking plate 55 under the influence of its actuating spring 5?. This will leave the 1 section in its projected or operative position, where it will remain until one of the other finger keys, or the same finger key, is operated to select the upper character on a released matrix, whereupon the foregoing operations will be repeated, but with the other bar 34, cam yoke 30, slide 51, and rocking plate 5 L becoming active, so as to retract the rail section and permit the matrix to de scend to the lower level in the assembler and thereby bring its upper character into casting position.

As before stated, the operator has only to press upon the finger keys in the spaces where the index characters corresponding to the 7 matrix characters selected are located, and

the automatic power operated mechanism described will set the assembled rail section in proper position to control the level at which the matrices are composed in line. Such automatic actuation of the assembler rail section as above described is brought about by the pivotal. mounting of each finger key upon its key lever. However, it is within the contemplation of this invention to provide a separate finger key for each of the index characters. (in which case two finger keys would be employed for releasing the same two-letter matrix) but the two-character adjustable finger key arrangement herein proposed is preferred because it avoids a duplication or multiplication of the finger keys and permits the keyboard to be of standard dimensions. It should be understood that the invention in its broader phases is not confined to any particular arrangement of the finger keys so long as they are capable, when depressed, of setting the assembled rail section in whatever position is required for the selection of the desired characters of the matrices released by the finger keys. In this same connection, it may be noted that the two characters, instead of being superposed on the same edge of the matrix, could be located on the opposite edges of the matrlx and the selected character brought into line or casting position by the reversal of the matrix. In the latter example, the finger keys would control the adjustment of a matrix reversing device rather than of a matrix level detcrminin device. Such alternative suggestions will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, since both forms of devices are well known. [he invention is not so much concerned with the form of the matrix selecting devices as it is with the manner in which such devices are controlled in their adjustment by the depression of the finger keys.

It will be appreciated that, in the quickly recurring changes in the position of the assembler rail section necessary in the use of the invention in connection with the composition of matter in foreign languages employing a large number of characters, and where each matrix carries two different characters as hereinbefore referred to, there will not be the opportunity to delay the adjustment of the rail section to its inactive position so as to permit all of the arrested matrices to pass therefrom onto the fixed rail section, as has been the practice heretofore. in accordance with the present invention, therefore, the rail section 19 is made substantially shorter than the standard rail section; and the feed wheel is arranged to push the individual matrices off said rail section immediately they enter the assembling elevator, so that the rail section will always be clear of matrices and may therefore be adjusted to its inactive position at any time and with any frequency, without danger of dropping the matrices to the lower rails.

As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the feed wheel 12 is elongated or elliptical, in form, presenting only two points or noses 12 12, instead of the usual four, and is adapted at each half rotation to present a substantially fiat face portion to the descending matrices to afford ample space for the latter to clear the exposed end of the fixed section 20 of the duplex rail, when the short rail section 19 is in inoperative position. The form and size of the elliptical wheel in relation to the short rail section 19 is such that, as shown in Fig. 10, each matrix as it passes onto the rail section will be engaged by the pointed end of the wheel and pushed oil said section and onto the adjoining fixed section 20, the individual matrices being thus pushed off the short rail section immediately they enter the assembling elevator. In this way, there will be no accumulation of matrices on the short section, as heretofore, and nodelay therefore in the return of the rail section to its retracted or inoperative position.

l fhile the room provided for the matrices to pass to the lower level by reason of the improved rail section is somewhat less than that ordinarily allowed, suitable compensation for the difference is made up by a guard or deflector 63, which is intended, in the inactive position of the rail section 19, to guide the matrices past the exposed end of the fixed rail section 20 and thus insure their delivery to the lower rails 17. This deflector extends upwardly from one end of a horizontal lever 64 pivotally mounted on the long rail section 20, and connected at its opposite end, as at 65, to the other arm 66 of the U-shaped plate 62 before mentioned, whereby the lever will be actuated by the movement of the U-shaped plate in controlling the position of the short rail section. The foregoing arrangement is such that when the U-shaped plate 62 is pushed rearwardly by the lever 59 to locate the short rail section in its active position, the deflector 63 will, through the medium of the lever 6 be moved forwardly out of the path of the descending matrices (see Figs. 11 and 12) and when the U- shaped plate is moved forwardly to draw the rail. section out of action, the deflector will be moved rearwardly and its guiding edge located directly above the contiguous end of the rail section 20 (see dotted lines in Fig. 13). In order that the deflector under the latter adjustment may clear the lower projecting ears of the matrices supported by the long rail section 20, the deflector is formed in its rear face with a recess 63, as best shown in 13.

By reference to Fig. 12, it will be seen that the arms 69 of the Us aed plate 62 which carries the short rail section 19. is formed with a stop shoulder 67, adapted by its engagement with the front face of the elevator to limit the inward movement of the arm and thus locate the rail section in its active position, while the movement of the arm in the opposite direction is limited by the engagement of the offset end portion 68 of the rail section with the rear wall of a recess formed in an upright side member of the elevator.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a typographical composin machine, the combination of a magazine containing-a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom, including a series of key levers, an assembler offset from the magazine and wherein the released matrices are composed in line, a traveling conveyor for receiving the released matrices from the magazine and delivering them to the assembler, a matrix level controlling device associated with the assembler and movable to operative and inoperative positions, and means con trolled by the operation of said key levers for actuating said device, and comprising relatively movable members associated with the key levers and adapted to be selectively set by the matrix releasing operation of the key levers to predetermine the operative or inoperative position of the matrix level controlling device.

2. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom including a series of manually operable key levers, an assembler wherein the released matrices may be composed in line at an upper or a lower level, a device associated with the assembler for con trolling the level at which the matrices are composed, power means for operating said device, and means actuated by said manually operated key levers for initiating the opera tion of the power means, said power means being adapted to come to rest after completing the operation of the level controlling device.

3. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom including a series of manually operable key levers, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line, a rail section mounted in the assembler and adjustable to different positions during the composition of the line to control the level at which the matrices are composed, power means for operating said rail section, and means actuated by the manually operated key levers for initiating the opera tion of the powermeans, said power means being adapted to come to rest after co1nplcting the operation of the level controlling device.

4. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom, said mechanism including a series of manually operable key levers and finger keys pivotally mounted thereon and each representing the two characters on the respective matrices, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line, a movable device associated with the assembler for controlling the level at which the matrices are composed, and means whereby said device is selectively operated by the depression of said manually operable key levers, in the different relative pivotal pos1- tions of the finger keys thereon, to cause the released matrices to be composed at the upper or lower level as required. I

5. In a typographical composing ma chine, the combination of a magazine con taining a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for eifecting the release of the matrices therefrom, said mechanism including a series of key levers and finger keys pivotally mounted thereon so as to be movable relatively thereto and each representing the two characters on the respective matrices, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line, a device associated with the assembler for controlling the level at which the matrices are composed, said device being movable inwardly to support the matrices at the upper level, and being movable outwardly to permit the matrices to be supported at the lower level, and actuating connections between the respective finger keys and said device, operable by the depression of the key levers with the finger keys in one pivotal position to move said device inwardly, and operable by said levers with the finger keys in another pivotal position to move said device outwardly.

6. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, power means for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom, finger keys controlling the operation of said power means, an assembler wherein the released matrices may be composed in line at an upper or a lower level, a movable device associated with the assembler for controlling the level at which the matrices are composed, said device being actuated by pow-- er means connected to the matrix releasing power means and means whereby the actuation of said device by the power means is initiated by said finger keys, said power means for actuating the controlling device being adapted to come to rest after completing the operation thereof.

7. In a typographical composing ma chine, the combination of a magazine con taining a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for efiecting the re lease of the matrices therefrom, includ ing a power driven roll, an assembler where in the released matrices may be composed in line at an upper or a lower level, a mov able device associated with the assembler for controlling the level at which the matrices are composed, second roll operated from the first-mentioned roll, rotary cams operated by said second roll and controlled in their operation by the finger keys, and operative connections between said rotary cams and r said movable device for operating the latter 8. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom, said mechanism including a series of key levers, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line, a movable rail section mounted in the assembler for controlling the level at which the matrices are composed, operating mechanism for said rail section controlled by the key levers, and relatively movable selective means carried by the respective key levers and adapted to be set by the matrix releasing operation of the key levers to predetermine the operative or inoperative position of the rail section under the action of the key lovers.

9. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom, said mechanism including a series of key levers and finger keys adjustably mounted thereon, and each finger key representing the two characters on the respective matrices, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line, a rail section mounted in the assembler and movable to operative and inoperative positions for controlling the level at which the matrices are composed, and operating mechanism for said rail section including a pair of movable dogs associated with each key lever, and adapted, on the depression of the key levers in the di'iferent set adjustments of the finger keys to be moved relatively in opposite directions and thereby cause the rail section to be moved to an operative or inoperative position according to the adjustments of said finger keys.

10. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine contaming a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for efieeting the release of the matrices therefrom, said mechanism including a series ofkey levers and finger keys pivoted thereon, and each finger key representing the two characters on the respective matrices, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line, a movable rail section mounted in the assembler for controlling the level at which the matrices are composed, rock shafts extending beneath the key levers, a pair of oppositely movable dogs associated with each finger key and pivoted at their lower ends to arms on said rock shafts and having their upper ends disposed beneath the finger keys at opposite sides of their pivots, whereby the rock shafts will be turned in one direction or the other on the depression of the key levers according to the pivotal position of the finger keys thereon, a universal bar connected with the rock shafts to be operated thereby, and connections between the universal bar and the rail section for actuating the latter.

11. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for effecting the release of'the matrices therefrom, said mechanism including a series of key levers and finger keys pivoted thereon, and each finger key representing the two characters on the respective matrices, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composedv in line, a movable rail sect-ion mounted in the assembler for controlling the level at which the matrices are composed, rock shafts extending beneath the key levers, a pair of oppositely movable dogs associated with each finger key and pivoted at their lower ends to arms on said rock shafts and having their upper ends disposed beneath the finger keys at opposite sides of their pivots, whereby the rock shafts will be turned in one direction or the other on the depression of the keylevers according to the pivotal position of the finger keys thereon, a universal bar connected with the rock shafts to be operated thereby, oppositely movable rocker plates controlled in their operation by said universal bar, and a pivoted lever acted on by said rocker plates and connected with the rail section. I

12. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom, said mechanism includ ing a series of key levers, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line, a rail section mounted in the assembler and movable to operative and inoperative positions for controlling the level at which the matrices are composed, a power driven roll, two cam yokes operated thereby, means intermediate the cam yokes and rail section for moving the latter to operative and inoperative positions respectively, rock shafts disposed beneath the key levers and operable in opposite directions by the depression of the key levers, and connections from said rock shafts to the cam yokes for controlling the operation of the same by the power driven roll.

13. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for effectmg the release of the matrices therefrom, said mechanism including a series of key levers, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line, a rail section mounted in the assembler and movable to operative and inoperative positions to control the level at which the matrices are composed, an operating lever connected with the rail section, plates rockable in opposite vdirections for actuating the lever, vertically movable slides taining a series of wo character matrices, a

keyboard mechanism for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom, said mechanism including a series of key levers, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line, a rail section mounted in the assembler and movable to operative and inoperative positions to control the level at which the matrices are composed, an operat ing lever connected with the rail section,

oppositely movable rocker plates for actuating the lever, a power driven roll, two cam yokes operated thereby and serving to actuate the rocker plates, mechanism controlling the operation of the cam yokes by the power driven roll and actuated by the key levers, and selective means on the key levers adapted to be set to predetermine the actuirtion of the cam yokes by the power driven r0 1.

15. In a typographical composing ma-v chine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom, said mechanism including a series of movable key levers and finger keys mounted thereon and movable relatively thereto in the direction of the movement of the levers, so as to occupy difi'erent set posit-ions thereon, said finger keys each representing the two characters on the respective matrices, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line,

a movable device associated with the assembler for controlling the level at which the matrices are composed, and means whereby said device is selectively operated by the depression of the key levers under the diiferent set positions of the finger keys thereon,

to cause the released matrices to be assembled at the upper or lower level, as desired.

16. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, a keyboard mechanism for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom, said mechanism including a series of key levers formed at their forward ends on their upper edges each with two oppositely inclined supporting surfaces, finger keys pivoted to said levers and formed with similarly inclined surfaces cooperating with those of the key lovers in supporting the keys respectively in forwardly and rearwardly inclined positions, each of said finger keys representing the two characters on the respective matrices, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line, a movable device associated with the assembler for controlling the level at which the matrices are composed, and means whereby said device is selectively operated by the depression of said key levers in the different relative positions of the fin er keys thereon to cause the released matrices to be assembled at the upper or lower level as desired; whereby a sin le downward pressure of the operators finger on the key lever will act to both predeterminately set the finger key in its selected position on the key lever, and depress said key lever to actuate the matrix level controlling device.

17 In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, finger keys for effecting the release of the matrices therefrom, an assembler wherein the released matrices may be composed in line at an upper or lower level, a rail section mounted in the assembler and adjustable to an inner active position to arrest the matrices at the upper level, or to an outer inactive position to permit the matrices to pass to the lower level, and means controlled by the finger keys for automatically moving the rail section in wardly or outwardly as desired, said means comprising two trains of actuating connec tions operable by the finger keys to project said rail section to active position or retract the same to inactive position, said actuating connections being constructed to leave the rail in the position adjusted by either train until moved in the opposite dir ction by the other train.

18. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, manually depressible finger keys for efi'ecting the release of the matrices therefrom, an assembling elevator wherein the released matrices may be composed in line at an upper or a lower level, mechanism carried by and movable with the elevator and operable to control the level at which the matrices are com posed, power means for operating said matrix level controlling mechanism, said power means being mounted in the machine frame in fixed relation to the movable assembling elevator and disconnected therefrom, and said controlling mechanism being adapted to be positioned in operative relation to the power means on the descent of the elevator to composing position, and means actuated by the matrix releasing operation of the finger keys for controlling said power means.

19. A combination as specified in claim 1 and including a feeding device to advance the matrices in the assembler, said feeding device operating to push a matrix off the movable rail section immediately upon its delivery thereto; whereby the rail section may be adjusted to inoperative position without danger of a higher level matrix dropping to the lower level.

20. A combination as specified in claim 1 and including an elongated feeding wheel presenting two matrix engaging points to act on the delivered matrices and advance them in the assembler, the form and size of said wheel, in relation to the length of the movable rail section, being such that it will act to push a matrix off the operatively positioned rail section immediately upon the delivery of the matrix thereto; whereby the rail section may be adjusted to inoperative position without danger of higher level matrices dropping to the lower level.

21. A combination as specified in claim 1 and including a feeding device to act 011 the delivered matrices and advance them in the assembler, and a deflector adapted to be actively positioned relative to the delivered matrices, only when the rail section is in an inoperative position, to prevent the matrices from passing to the upper level.

22. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine containing a series of two character matrices, a series of manually depressible finger keys for releasing the matrices from the 1nagazine, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line at different levels, an adjustable device for determining the level at which the matrices are composed, and means actuated solely by the manual depression of the finger keys for controlling the position of the adjustable matrix level i determining device.

23. A combination as specified in claim 22, characterized by the fact that the matrix level determining device remains in its last set position until adjusted to its other position by the finger keys.

24. A combination as specified in claim 22, characterized by the fact that each linger key is provided with two index characters representing the two characters on the matrix released thereby and is adjustable automatically when depressed to one or the other of two different positions according to the index character touched, said key acting in its different adjusted positions to vary the adjustment of the matrix level determining device.

25. In a typographical composing machine, the combination of a magazine contaming a series of two character matrices, a series of manually depressible finger keys for releasing the matrices from the magazine, an assembler wherein the released matrices are composed in line, an adjustable device for determining which character of a released matrix is to appear in line, and

lit?

means actuated by the manual depression of the finger keys for controlling the position of the adjustable character selecting device.

26. A combination as specified in claim 25, characterized by the fact that the matrix character selecting device remains in its last set position until adjusted to its other position by the finger keys.

27. A combination as specified in claim 22, characterized by the fact that each finger key is provided with two index characters representing the two characters on the matrix released thereby and is adjustable automatically when depressed to one or the other of two different positions according to the index character touched, said key acting in its different adjusted positions to vary the adjustment of the matrix character selecting device.

In testimony whereof, this specification has been duly signed by:

CHAUNCEY H. GRIFFITH. 

